Now I Cry
by Eriala
Summary: The fall of Troy, from the point of view of Astyanax, son of Hector. Warning: character death, obviously.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters, the story or anything like that.

**A/N:** I had major problems with killing the baby at the end. I wrote the rest in about an hour, but then instead of finishing it spent the rest of the day trying to prove that in fact the baby didn't die (I failed). So be proud of me for writing the end.

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_**Now I Cry**_

_The palace is quiet and peaceful._

I am so confused I'm not sure but I don't know what happened and why was everyone celebrating my mama led me past the big horse and I cried because it was scary so high up above me and menacing I didn't know what to think but they just hushed me and said it was a miracle and meant for the goddess why would the goddess want a giant monster I don't know and there was a feast and everyone was happy so I played with my toys I didn't want to touch the horse it reminded me of the monster but now mama played with me too she never did that after father left where did he go and now everyone is so calm they say the war is over what war is that when you can hear the screams beyond the walls there are no screams now it is silent and dark

_Scuffling noises can be heard through the open window.__  
  
_Everyone is sleeping now they think I am sleeping too but they never used to sleep when all the bad men were on the beach they were there forever and then they were gone we all ran out to where they had been and mama carried me we saw the monster horse and all the people liked it but I don't understand it came from the bad people where father went when he didn't come back why did we take the bad people's monster

_There is the sound of muffled footsteps and whispered voices.__  
  
_I hear something what is it mama is still asleep so are all the others they don't know the noises are all around and some are coming closer and what is it am I the only one who is listening maybe it's the monster horse running around outside father always used to talk to horses and they did what he said maybe he could talk to the monster too if I knew where he was I would tell him to make the monster stop but what should I do without him

_Thudding noises and running feet. A muffled scream._

___  
_I start to cry I am scared what is happening mama hears me she comes and lifts me but now she looks out the window and I think a scream is going to come from her but no she only whispers to me hush little Astyanax it will be alright but in her eyes I see that it is not alright there are shouts from all around us and someone is weeping I must be quiet so the monster doesn't find us too but what if it knows where we are it can't see it doesn't have eyes or does it I can't remember I had too much fear to look

_Fires blaze, casting a scorching light upon the room.__  
  
_It's so hot and what is the glowing light from outside mama is scared like me she is carrying me away from the window now out of the room I am clinging to her I don't know what is happening I am afraid and the monster will come for us now mama why can't we hide will the blazing lights come for us too but we can't just leave all my toys are here I don't want the monster to have them I'll take them even the horse no it can have the horse that is what it is but no horses are nice not monsters then they go away beyond the walls and then sometimes they don't come back maybe the monster is going away now and I won't see it again either

_The creak of the palace door opening. The pound of heavy feet._

Something is coming it is not the monster they're men no it's the bad men they are monsters too but I thought they went away where did they come from mama is screaming and pleading with them what is she saying one of the bad men snatches me away from her now I scream mama and she grabs for me but they have her too and he is carrying me away we are outside now and I look up the moon is big and round and silvery but look there is orange-gold flickering on it that's the reflection of the fire all around me here yes fire that's what the light is mama and father always told me not to go near fire but now father's gone and they have mama and I'm alone with the blaze and the bad man has me what should I do

_The city is burning; dead lie everywhere. The women are led tied together through the crumbling wall._

Mama is this what aunt Cassandra was screaming about her eyes were blazing I was afraid of her she said that there would be fire and death what is death is that what happens when the men don't come back from the fighting place and then we burn them I remember I spoke to the burning people they did not answer but it is already burning here you said that Cassandra was mad and led me away to play with my horse carving but the monster is a horse and it brought us this whatever this is maybe you were wrong when you said she was lying or maybe you didn't say that I don't know I don't know anything anymore

_One of the Greeks breaks off from the main group. He carries a small bundle in his arms._

He is taking me away from mama I can't see her anymore only the bad man and I scream mama mama but no one hears yes I think the bad man hears he is running with me to the top of the walls but looks down at my face and I see the tears coming from his eyes I didn't know he was a person I thought the bad men were all part of the ocean where no humans can live until all of them left but the water was still there how can he be crying as he holds me I am not crying anymore I can't I am too scared we are at the top of the walls and I look down it is so far I am afraid I will go to the dead people that aunt saw when her eyes were wild and scary no not unless I fall but now I think he will let me fall the bad man am I going where father went I ask him and his whole body stiffens he is a person with a soul and he cries now I weep too

_A figure stands on the edge of the wall, still clutching something.__  
  
_What is happening the bad man is a person and he looks down at me but there is a strange look on his face and he fights his tears I can see him the screams are stopping and now there is only the sound of crackling flames but it can't reach up here we are so high what did I do wrong I wonder the bad man is not human anymore he is mean and I can see it in his eyes just like I saw sadness in mama's eyes once and I don't know why but father did not come back after that maybe he didn't want to see us or maybe a bad man like the one that has me brought him to this place but didn't start crying maybe it was the giant gold one who was far away across the field and I screamed because I was afraid of him I am not screaming now I cannot yes I can mama I call someone far below looks up at me is it her I can't tell but there is a cry and I think it is mama she is saying Astyanax I love you but the bad man holds me and I look over the walls father is standing there and he is calling me too he is waiting for me his arms open to hold me I am coming to you father

_The figure climbs down from the collapsing wall. His hands are empty._


End file.
